Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What simulation capabilities does Moveon have?

Moveon offers simulation capabilities including ray tracing for optical design, mold flow analysis for injection molding, and spectral simulation for optical coatings.

2. What design capabilities does Moveon have?

Moveon offers Design for Manufacturing (DFM) for all projects. DFM is a methodology focused on optimizing product design to enhance manufacturability, reduce costs, and improve overall production efficiency. Our capabilities include designing refractive and diffractive optics, lens stacks, mechanical jigs and fixtures, injection mold tools, and camera modules.

3. What prototyping capabilities does Moveon have?

Moveon has a range of in-house prototyping capabilities to support rapid and precise product development. The selection of the most suitable process depends on several factors, including material system, part size, mechanical or optical requirements, and cost considerations. Our prototyping processes include micro-scale 3D printing via Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP), direct diamond turning, nanoimprint replication, 3D inkjet printing, and micro-molding.

4. What size range of optics can Moveon support?

Moveon can manufacture optics ranging in size from as small as 500 µm × 500 µm (L × W) to as large as 300 mm × 200 mm (L × W).

5. What is the smallest feature size possible for nano- and micro-optics?

Moveon can manufacture optics with feature sizes as small as 200 nm.

6. What manufacturing processes does Moveon have in-house?

Moveon offers an extensive range of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, micro-molding, high-performance optical coatings, diamond turning, master and mold fabrication, optical replication, wafer-level nanoimprint manufacturing, and glass press molding.

7. What quality certifications does Moveon have?

Moveon is proudly ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, and IATF 16949 certified, a testament to our quality and compliance commitment.

8. Does Moveon have high volume experience?

Yes, Moveon has extensive high-volume experience, having served over 150 customers and shipped more than 70 million optical parts for applications in consumer electronics, automotive, medical, and defense industries.

9. How Much Do Injection Molded Optical Components Cost?

This depends on many factors like material system, size and quantities. Commodity small parts in volume can be in the range of $0.10 – $0.75 and larger precision molded parts can be in the range of $1-$10.

10. How Long Does It Take to Manufacture Injection Molded Optics?

We can deliver initial Proof of Concept parts in 6-8 weeks.

11. What Materials Are Used in Injection Molded Optical Components?

PMMA, COP/COC, PC, PET, Optical Silicone, PEI/TPA.

12. What’s the Minimum Order Quantity for Molded Optical Components?

The initial order can be as low as 200 parts.

13. How Do You Ensure Quality in Injection Molded Optics?

We are ISO Certified and have a full suite of optical metrology.

14. What’s the Difference Between Single-Shot and Multi-Shot Molded Optics?

In a single-shot injection molding cycle, both the optical substrate (e.g., glass, crystal, or rigid plastic) and the overmolded layer (e.g., rubber, TPE, or another polymer) are injected into the same mold cavity. The overmold material bonds to the substrate during the same cycle. Multi-shot involves multiple injection stages into the same mold. The first “shot” forms the optical substrate, then one or more additional shots are injected to add different materials, colors, or textures in sequence.

15. What Surface Finishes Are Available for Molded Optical Parts?

We can achieve polished, textured, matte or semi-gloss, and plated finishes.

16. What’s the Lifespan of an Injection Mold?

Lifetime can be greater than 1 million parts.

17. Can Multi-Component Assemblies Be Injection Molded?

Yes they can. We can even perform active alignment of the full assembly.

18. What’s the Fastest Way to Get Prototype Injection Molded Optics?

If 8 weeks is too long for first parts, we can single point diamond turn the optics directly in polymer within 3-4 weeks.

19. Can You Mold Anti-Reflective Coatings Into Optical Parts?

Yes, it’s possible to injection mold AR moth eye structures that have anti-reflective properties.

20. What Certifications Should I Look for in an Optical Injection Molder?

This depends on your industry. We hold the following certifications: ISO 14001, 9001, 13485, and IATF 16949.

21. Can Injection Molded Optics Be Used in Medical Devices?

Yes, absolutely. Moveon is certified to Medical Device Quality standards.

22. Do you have injection molding material safety data sheets?

Certainly. Just email us to request the ones relevant to your application.

23. Do you have automation in your optical injection molding process?

Yes, 95% of our process is automated and we’ve successfully implemented Industry 4.0 improvements to drive improved utilization.